The Weight of a Feather
by Maeve Bran
Summary: Sha're survives the events of "Forever in a Day", but it isn't that easy to pick up where she and Daniel left off.


**Title**: The Weight of a Feather

**Author**: Maeve Bran

**Rating**: M

**Summary**: Sha're survives the events of "Forever in a Day", but it isn't that easy to pick up where she and Daniel left off.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Stargate Verse, I'm just having some unprofitable fun.

**Spoilers**: This is an AU ending to "Forever in a Day" so spoilers for everything up to 3.10 "Forever in a Day".

**Notes**: This is written for the SG rare pairings ficathon for gateruner, who wanted an AU Forever in A Day where Sha're lived, a confrontation with Teal'c and a feisty Sha're.

* * *

_"I have spoken no lies, nor acted with deceit. I was once possessed by a demon who did these things against my will. The demon is gone and now I am without sin. Grant me a place in your blessed dwelling."_  
--Forever in a Day

* * *

Sha're woke up in a strange place. The walls were gray, and there were machines she had never seen before beeping nearby. It was very different from the gold of Amaunet's ships and palaces that she had lived in the last two years. The strangest thing, though, was that there was a Jaffa standing as if on guard duty by her bed. She recognized him from the year before, when he had accompanied her Daniel to Abydos. He was the Shol'va, Teal'c. She would have known him anywhere by the mark of Apophis on his forehead.

"Where am I?" She asked the Jaffa as she struggled to sit up and take a better look.

"You are on Earth, at Stargate command, Sha're Jackson," Teal'c informed her as he helped her raise the head of the bed.

"How? Where is my Dan'iel?" she asked, confused, as Teal'c helped her.

Teal'c gestured to the hospital bed next to her. "Daniel Jackson is there. He refused to be treated until the Tok'ra came and removed Amaunet. Dr. Frasier says that only made the damage worse."

Teal'c bowed his head and became contrite, "Sha're Jackson, I must ask your forgiveness for my part in your selection as host. I also beg forgiveness for shooting and killing you."

"I forgive you for both. You were only doing your duty when you selected me. You killed me to save my Dan'iel from the demon inside me," Sha're said.

Daniel awoke just as Teal'c apologized to Sha're. He had wanted to be at her side, but knew it was important for Sha're and Teal'c to have this conversation to make sure that there were no hard feelings.

"Teal'c," Daniel quietly called.

"Yes, Daniel Jackson?" he replied, going to the younger man's bedside.

"Help me over to her," Daniel asked.

Teal'c bowed his head briefly in acknowledgement. He held out the bathrobe which had been left beside Daniel's bed for him to put on, and offered his arm, which Daniel used as support to walk the few feet to Sha're's bedside. Once Daniel was seated at his wife's side, Teal'c offered them both a full bow and left the infirmary.

On his way out the door, he stopped Dr. Frasier from entering. She looked at the newly reunited husband and wife and wisely decided the rounds could wait awhile.

"Sha're," Daniel breathed as if afraid saying her name any louder would make her disappear.

"Dan'iel," Sha're said as she stretched out her hand to caress his face. "How am I here? Teal'c said he had killed me."

Daniel leaned his face into her hand and placed one of his over it, as if he needed the physical contact to reassure himself that she was really here. "After Teal'c shot you, the rest of my team entered the tent. We got you onto Amaunet's ship, and I placed you in her sarcophagus. Sam and Jack went back to the gate and got in contact with her father, who is a Tok'ra. Sam's dad, Jacob, arrived with other Tok'ra and they were able to remove Amaunet. Then we gated home. Dr. Frasier says you will be fine. She also said you should be ready to come home with me in a few days." Daniel moved his gaze from her face to look at the floor before continuing, "That is, if you want to live with me here on Earth."

Sha're used her hand that was still on his face to redirect his gaze back to her, "My Dan'iel, my place is with you. My home is where yours is." This time it was Sha're who looked away. "If you still want me."

"Want you? Why wouldn't I want you?" Daniel stood up on shaky legs and sat on the edge of her bed. He pulled her into his arms and said to her hair, "Sha're, I spent more than two years searching the stars for you. Why would I suddenly decide, when I finally found you, not to want you?"

Sha're buried her head in his shoulder so that her voice was muffled. "I bore Apophis a child. I tortured you."

Daniel pulled back to look her evenly in her eyes and gently cupped her chin with one hand while leaving the other on her back. "Sha're, listen to me. That was not you. That was Amaunet. I know that. I have never stopped loving or wanting you. Every time I set foot through the gate I hoped it would be the time I'd find you. That maybe this mission would be the one where we could free you and you could come home with me." He wrapped her in a fierce hug then. "You are my life. I could never not want you. It would be like not wanting to breathe."

Sha're clung to him and wept. She wept for the time she lost with him. She wept for joy at finally being back with him. She wept for relief that the voice of Amaunet, which told her Daniel would never want her again, had been silenced. Sha're was finally home in her husband's arms, right where she had always wanted to be.

When Sha're's tears had finally run out, Daniel pulled back a little from her so he could lean his head down and kiss her. He kissed her tentatively at first, as if he was unsure if she wanted him to do it. Sha're deepened the kiss and tried to climb on to his lap but was unable to because the cords connecting her to the machines wouldn't stretch that far.

When they finally had to breathe, Daniel helped her lay back down. Sha're scooted as far over as the bed would let her to make room for him. Daniel took the hint and lay down beside her. She snuggled up next to him and used his shoulder as a pillow; he wrapped the arm around her and sighed contentedly. They both soon fell asleep that way.

They were still asleep, cuddled together, when Dr. Frasier entered an hour later to check their vitals. She noted the results on their charts and left, smiling. The sleeping couple didn't stir once.

In the morning, Daniel woke happier than he had been in a long while, despite the lingering headache from the ribbon device. He was in the infirmary, but he had his wife in his arms. He leaned over and kissed her awake.

"Good morning, my love," Daniel said as her eyes opened.

"Good morning, my Dan'iel," Sha're smiled.

Before either could do more, Dr. Frasier entered and gave Daniel a quick exam. She was apparently satisfied with his condition as she signed the papers declaring him fit for duty. She shooed him out of the infirmary telling him that General Hammond wanted to see him as soon as he had showered and dressed.

Daniel met with the General and made arrangements for Sha're to stay on the base with him that night. Daniel had wanted to take her home to his apartment, but the General insisted on at least one day of debriefing. Hammond did concede, however, that after that one day he'd put SG1 on stand down for two weeks and that Daniel wasn't to set foot on base during that time. Daniel readily agreed.

That night, Daniel was nervous. He hadn't been so nervous since the night he'd realized that he and Sha're were actually married. Daniel was happy that he finally had Sha're back, but nervous because so much had happened to him in the years since they had been separated. He wanted to make love to his wife, but wasn't sure if she wanted him to. He really wanted to join his wife in the shower, but she had acted embarrassed when he was showing her how the shower worked. He wasn't going to push her into anything she didn't want, but it was torture to wait.

Daniel paced the room while waiting for Sha're to finish with her shower. He could understand her embarrassment; it had been awhile. He knew she was probably ashamed because of her son. Daniel could admit that wasn't an easy thing for him either, but Sha're wasn't the only one that had things to confess. She just didn't know it. He wasn't sure if they should talk about it now or pretend none of it had ever happened-- even if it was just for tonight. Tonight should be about joy and happiness at finally being together again, alone and away from the infirmary.

Before Daniel could make up his mind, Sha're emerged from the bathroom wearing a standard black tee shirt and a set of Daniel's own flannel pajama pants that he kept in his quarters on base. She looked young, innocent and beautiful. Daniel could almost believe that this was the wife that he had just left at home while he went to the pyramid on Abydos. But then she came closer, and Daniel could see the past two years in her eyes. She stopped just short of him and looked bashfully down. She seemed even shyer than she had been when she had explained to Daniel that she didn't tell the others he hadn't wanted her.

"Sha're," Daniel called to her.

She looked up at him.

"Come here," he said softly as he held his arms open to her.

Sha're stepped into his embrace, and he wrapped his arms securely around her. Then he leaned down and kissed her. She responded in kind, and any thoughts of further conversation were driven from Daniel's mind. He soon had removed both of their clothes and was walking slowly backwards. His legs contacted the bed, and he fell, pulling her down on top of him.

Sha're settled on top of Daniel with one leg on either side of his hips. She leaned down and kissed him forcefully. Daniel was surprised, but responded and kissed her back.

Moments, later, however, Sha're rolled off of Daniel and scooted to the far edge of the bed. She had been intending to make love to her husband, but when she got that far she'd found that she couldn't go any farther. She silently started to weep.

Daniel was not entirely surprised by her reaction. Truth be told, he wasn't sure he would have been able to carry on much farther himself. He reached a hand out to her shoulder but hesitated to touch her.

"Sha're," Daniel whispered. "What's the matter?"

"Dan'iel," Sha're replied. "I just..."

"Shh. It's alright. We have much to talk about. Much has happened to me as well," Daniel started to explain. He got up and found his clothes, then turned his back on the bed and pulled on the flannel pants and tee shirt again.

Sha're took the opportunity to get dressed as well. She sat on the bed watching her husband as he paced. This was not the way she had imagined their reunion would be. She had thought they would pick up where they had left off on Abydos, but that was not to be. She should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

"What do you mean, Dan'iel?" Sha're asked.

Daniel stopped his pacing, unable to face her as he told her about Hathor and Shayla. But when he had finished and looked into her face, he only saw understanding in her eyes. She held out her arms to him and he went into them. He wrapped his arms around her and clung tightly to her.

They fell asleep that way, and for the first time in a long time Daniel was untroubled by nightmares.

fin


End file.
